Snap action lockset assemblies



Aug. 7, 1962 H. A. SCHIOWITZ 3,043,436

SNAP ACTION LOCKSET ASSEMBLIES Filed Nov. 4, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTONEY Aug. 7, 1962 H. A. SCHIOWITZ SNAP ACTION LOCKSET ASSEMBLIES 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 4, 1959 ATTOR NEY 9 H. A. SCHIOWITZ 3,048,436

SNAP ACTION LOCKSET ASSEMBLIES Filed Nov. 4. 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,048,436 SNAP ACTIDN LOCKSET ASSEMBLIESHyman A. Schiowitz, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor to Arrow Lock Corporation,Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 4, 1959, Ser. No.850,909 3 Claims. (Cl. 292-337) This invention relates to door locks,and particularly to an improved lockset having inner and outer knobassemblies that are readily secured to each other and to the door bysnap action means.

A salient feature of the present invention is the provision of a snap onlockset for doors whereby the latch bolt assembly and the latch boltoperating mechanism together with the inner and outer door knobassemblies may be applied to the door quickly and easily by snapping theinner knob and outer knob assemblies together within the accommodatingopening previously drilled out in the door. By means of the improvedstructures of the present invention the use of screws or the like tomount the inner and outer door knob and rose plate assemblies upon thedoor is obviated, and instead, the two sub-assemblies are secured toeach other and to the door by a snap action mechanism which also securesthem firmly to the latch bolt operating mechanism.

The snap action arrangement of the present invention permits the twodoor knob and rose plate assemblies to be securely connected to eachother and to be firmly mounted on the door whereby ordinary and evenhard usage thereof will not loosen these elements from each other andfrom the door. The interlocking mechanism, however, is capable of beingdisengaged by a firm pulling action on either or both of the knobassemblies in order to remove them from the door for repair orreplacement.

The present invention constitutes a pair of snap action mating elementsto each of which is attached a subassembly including a door knob androse plate for either side of the door together with other elementsoperatively connectible to the spring biased latch or lock boltassembly.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the specification.

The features of novelty which are believed to be char-' acteristic ofthe invention are set forth herein and will best be understood, both asto their fundamental prin ciples and as to their particular embodiments,by reference to the specification and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an edge view of the fragmentary portion of a door showing inelevation the inner and outer door knob and rose plate assemblies inposition thereon, and including an elevation view of the face plate andlatch bolt;

FIG. 2 is a top view, partly in central cross section, and parly inelevation, of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical, central partial section view, takenthrough the aligned axial centers of the two door knobs shown in FIG. 1,some parts being shown in elevation;

FIG. 4 is a partially exploded view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the means Patented Aug. 7,1962 for joining one of the door knobs with the lock operating spindle;

FIG. 7 is a view taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 4, some parts being brokenaway, and some parts being shown in phantom outline;

FIG. 8 is a view taken on line 88 of FIG. 4;

PEG. 9 is an enlarged, perspective view of the alignment girder of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the spring element adapted toengage said alignment girder.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2a fragmentary portion of a door 21 having a transverse opening 22 thatis intersected at a right angle by longitudinal opening 23. Positionedwithing longitudinal opening 23 is a latch bolt assembly 24, containinga latch bolt 25, the end of which extends outwardly from the doorthrough a suitable aperture in face plate 26 which covers opening 23 andis secured to the door by means of screws 27. Latch bolt 25, which isnormally urged outwardly from assembly 24 by means of spring biasing, orthe like, not shown, is adapted to cooperate with strike plate 28secured to the inner face 29 of door jamb '31. Strike plate 28 has anaperture 32 which, together with coextensive aperture 32 in door jamb31, accommodates the end of said latch bolt.

The snap action lockset herein comprises an inside door knob assemblyand an outside door knob assembly, both of which are detachably securedto each other through transverse opening 22 in door 21.

The inside door knob assembly comprises a substantially circular knob 35having a tubular shank 36 which is secured firmly by press fit or thelike to tube 37. The inner end 38 of tube 37 rotatively abuts theannular shoulder 39 of inside bearing cup 41 which has an open bottomand whose walls are substantially coaxial with said tube.

The bottom of inner bearing cup 41 has an axially extending annular neck42 of reduced diameter terminating in an outwardly extending annularflange 43. A substantially circular inside back plate 44 has a centralcircular aperture which interfits with the periphery of neck 42 whileU-shaped alignment girder, generally designated 45, has a base plate 46contiguous with said. back plate and having a central circular aperturewhich also interfits with the periphery of neck 42. Said back plate 44and base plate are secured rigidly between flange 43 and shoulder '39,as by pressing or spinning said flange against the inner surface ofplate 44 by suitable means. The inner surface of the circular outerportion of inside back plate 44 is arranged to lie against the insidesurface of door 21 while its peripheral edges extend some distancebeyond the circular boundary of opening 22.

Positioned coaxially around cup 41 and tube 37 is a stationary circularinside rose plate 47 of somewhat truncated conical shape having acentrally apertured neck portion 48 within which shank 36 of knob 35freely totates. Rose plate 47 flares outwardly and terminates in acircular rim 49 which encloses the peripheral edge of inner back plate44 to which it is detachably securable by suitable means, not shown.

Inside back plate 44 has a pair of spaced apart apertures 51 throughwhich extend a pair of substantially parallel rigid legs 52 formedintegrally with base plate 46 of alignment girder and arrayed withinopening 22 of door 21. Formed integrally on the longitudinal edgesspesase 3 of legs 52 are inwardly extending rails 53 (FIG. 7) betweenthe respective pairs of which is supported the housing of latch boltassembly 24. Latch bolt assembly 24 is aligned between rails 53 by upsetcars 54 in the upper and lower Walls of the assembly housing, said earscooperating slidably and frictionally against the outer walls of thecorresponding rails 53.

The inner end of tube 37, FIGS. 3 and 6, has a top opening 57 which hasa pair of laterally extending slots 58, said slots removablyaccommodating lug 59 whose circular integral neck 61 is accommodated byopening 57. Lug 59 has a bottom tongue 62 which is accommodate-d bybottom slot 63 in tube 37 whereby rotation of said tube causes therotation of lug 59 when knob 35 is rotated.

Connected rigidly to neck 61 of lug 59 is one end of lock operatingspindle 64 or square cross-section, said spindle extending through andengaging square shaped opening 65 of hub 66 (FIG. 7) in latch boltassembly 24. The rotation of spindle 64 causes the rotation of hub 66which by suitable spring biased mechanisms, not shown, operates latchbolt 25 in the manner known in the art.

The other end of spindle 64 which is threaded and has a plurality oflongitudinal grooves 67 extends through opening 22 in door 21 andprotrudes on the outer side thereof to be threadably engaged by centralaperture 68 of knob insert 69. Laterally intersecting aperture 68 is athreaded opening 71 which accommodates set screw 72, the inner end ofwhich is adapted to engage any one of grooves 67 whereby rotation ofinsert 69 also produces the rotation of spindle 64 on its longitudinalaxis.

Connected by force fit or the like to knob insert 69 is the tubularshank 73 of spherical outer knob 74, whereby rotation of said knobproduces rotation of spindle 64. Shank 73 has a suitable aperture toprovide access for set screw 72 to enter aperture 71 of knob insert 69'.

Positionable on the outer surface of door 21 over opening 22 is acircular outer back plate 81 having a pair of spaced apart aperturesthrough which there extends a pair of spring blades 82 of a U-shapedbracket, generally designated 83. Blades 82 are integral with oppositeends of flat bracket base 84 which is contiguous with a portion of backplate 81.

Near the free end portion of each blade 82 there is formed a laterallyoutwardly extending V-shaped bight 86 which is adapted to cooperate witha corresponding slot 87 in respective legs 52 of alignment girder 45. Aswill be noted particularly from FIG. 4, spring blades 82 are normallyflexed slightly away from each other when not engaged by the alignmentgirder 45 to ensure the firm engagement between bights 86 withrespective slots 87 as shown in FIG. 3.

The spring tension of blades 82 is predetermined so that bights 86strongly engage their respective slots 87 to secure alignment girder 45and bracket 83 firmly together. This ensures that the various componentsattached to said girder and bracket, respectively, will be firmlysecured in position relative to door 21. Upon applying a strong pullingforce between girder 45 and bracket 83, or upon the respectivecomponents connected to these elements, bights 86 can be sprung loosefrom slots 87 in order to disassemble the door lock parts for repair orreplacement. In other words, by urging base plate 46 and bracket base 84apart from each other, bights 86 will become disengaged from theirrespective slots 87, thereby obviating the necessity for using specialtools or equipments.

A tubular outside bearing cup 91 is provided with an inwardly extendingneck 92 of reduced diameter which extends through and mates closely withcoaxial apertures 4 inner face of outside back plate 81 to secure bothplate 81 and base 84 rigidly to outside bearing cup 91.

Outside bearing cup 91 has an interior annular shoulder 94 against whichthe inner ends of tubular shank 73 and of insert 69 bear when knob '74is rotated threadably into position on spindle 64 and secured there byset screw 72. Positioned coaxially around cup 91 and shank 73 is astationary circular outside rose plate 95 of somewhat truncated conicalshape having a centrally apertured neck portion 96 within which shank 73of knob 74 rotates freely. Rose plate 95 flares outwardly and terminatesin a circular rim 97 which encloses the peripheral edge of outer backplate 81. Rose plate 95 is releasably secured firmly to outer back plate81 by suitable means, not shown.

Inner back plate 44 and outer back plate 81 are both provided at theirrespective inner surfaces with at least a pair of perpendicularlyextending sharp piercing prongs 98 struck up from said plates andadapted to sink into the wood or composition material of door 21 whensaid plates are urged toward each other as bights 86 are caused to enterslots 87 of alignment girder 45 to secure these elements in position ondoor 21. Prongs 98 ensure that their respective plates 44 and 81, girder45 and spring blades 82 will not rotate when either of knobs 35 and 74are rotated.

In some embodiments, legs 52 of alignment girder 45 may compriseseparate elements rigidly connected by suitable means to inner backplate 44, while spring blades 82 may comprise separate elements suitablyconnected to outer back plate 81.

In the specification, there are explained the principles of theinvention, and the best mode in which it is contemplated applying thoseprinciples, so as to distinguish the invention from other inventions;and there is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed the part,mode or combination which is claimed as the invention or discovery.

While I have shown and described certain preferred embodiments of theinvention, it will be understood that modifications and changes may bemade without departing from the function and scope thereof, as will beclear to those skilled in the art.

It is claimed:

1. A lockset for a door having an opening to receive a lock bolt and abolt operating spindle comprising a first back plate positionable overone end of said opening on one surface of said door, a second back platepositionable over the other end of said opening on the opposite surfaceof said door, a pair of spaced apart apertures in said first back plate,a pair of spaced apart apertures in said second back plate, a U-shapedgirder mounted on said first back plate, spaced apart substantiallyparallel legs on said girder extending through the aperatures in saidfirst back plate and inwardly into said opening, a transverse slot ineach of said legs, a U-shaped spring member mounted on said second backplate, a pair of spaced apart blades on said spring member extendingthrough the apertures of said second plate and inwardly into saidopening, the free ends of said blades being biased outwardly from eachother, a bight in each of said blades, said bights engaging respectiveslots in said girders by snap action when said two plates are movedtoward each other securing them in their respective positions againstsaid door, said bights becoming disengaged from their respective slotswhen said two plates are urged apart from each other.

2. A lockset according to claim 1, and further comprising a lock boltsecured between the legs of said girder and a bolt operating spindleextending through said lock bolt and through both of said back plates.

3. A lockset according to claim 1, and further comprising substantiallycentral apertures in both said back plates, in said girder and in saidspring member through which a bolt operating spindle may extend, a firstbushing mounted Within the aperture of said first back plate and saidgirder and securing said elements firmly together, a second bushingmounted Within the aperture of said second back plate and said springmember and securing said elements firmly together, a bolt operatingspindle extending through said bushings and through said lockbolt, afirst door knob releasably secured to one end of said spindle, the shankof said first door knob rotating Within said first bushing, a seconddoor knob detachably securable to the other end of said spindle, theshank of said second door knob being rotatable within said secondbushing.

References Cited in the file of ifllS patent UNITED STATES PATENTSFOREIGN PATENTS Denmark Dec. 9. 1946

